


The Dawn Has Come

by themythicalpen



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Clothed Sex, Confident Cullen Rutherford, Cullen Rutherford Smut, Cullen Smut, Dom Cullen Rutherford, F/M, Light Dom/sub, Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-01
Packaged: 2019-06-27 00:19:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15674220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themythicalpen/pseuds/themythicalpen
Summary: They've closed the Rift. They've defeated Corypheus. Now they just want a chance to be alone together.





	The Dawn Has Come

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this over a year and a half ago, hence the publication date.
> 
> This is a one-shot with POV switch throughout. Every time you see a dash/break, it switches POV. Hopefully it's not too confusing!

Anguish.

Sadness.

Relief.

Freedom.

These were all the emotions that were whipping around like a thunderstorm inside of Vellana as she stared out into the cool sunset. The sun was disappearing quickly below the tips of the mountains and the first stars were beginning to sparkle through the pinkish-purple sky. The faint sound of the festivities below made their way muffled to her ears as she stood on the balcony of her quarters and thought about all that had happened.

She was relieved by the victory, but they had suffered many losses in this war. Losing Stroud had been the one that hit her hardest. He often came into her mind – the look of pure courage and determination in his face even knowing his own fate. But his death had not been in vain. They’d won. She often also thought of all the innocent people they’d lost in Haven after that terrible attack. So much death…for a long time it had eaten at her slowly, but the memories of their lives would stay with them in the hearts of the living forever. She was sure their souls were somewhere better now.

The skies were clear now – they were free of the plague of Red Templars, and of Corypheus, and of the tear in the sky that had worried them all for too long. A wave of pent-up exhaustion that she’d been forced to ignore for months upon months was finally washing over her. She’d had a good time at the celebration feast, and did her duty of addressing the ambassadors, her people, and her close-knit inner council. Though now she needed time to think away from all that, she’d grown to love all of them as companions, as they’d been linked together in this fight for their lives, and they had succeeded.

But none did she love as deeply as the Commander. Of all the places she dreamt she’d find love, the Inquisition was not one of them. She hadn’t even wanted to get involved in this whole mess at first. She hadn’t asked for the mark, it had come to her. She couldn’t deny that the power she’d gained wasn’t something she enjoyed having, but it wore at her to the bone. Having the Commander as her rock through these hard times had been vital to her sanity.

He suddenly filled her mind, pushing out all the dark thoughts of death and destruction and replacing them with thoughts of love, happiness, relief, and, strongest of all, desire.

She hadn’t had much time with him at the celebration before she’d quietly slipped out to be alone. She wished she’d had more, wished she’d gotten to dance with him again like they had in Orlais – Maker, that seemed to be ages ago now. Neither of them had been one for dancing, but no one had been around to see them so it hadn’t mattered. She longed for a moment with him, just to touch his face and remind herself he was real, alive, and had survived their terrible plight.

Suddenly, as if her inner plea had been answered by whatever being watched over them, she heard her chamber door creak slowly open and familiar footsteps come through. A small smile twitched at the corner of her lips and she turned away from the falling sun to gaze at her love.

“You didn’t think I’d let you slip out that easily, did you?” he said with that smirk of his that she loved so dearly.

“Cullen,” she cooed back with a smile, her heart pumping just a little faster at the sight of him. “My dear Cullen, ever the observer.”

“I suppose it’s a force of habit, even after the fighting is done. Old habits die hard,” he replied, making his way over to the balcony. “Plus, I can hardly ever take my eyes off of you.”

Vellana raised an auburn eyebrow. “Feeling flirtatious, are we?” she teased, leaning back against the stone railing of the balcony.

—

Why did everything about her have to be so perfect? Every time he laid eyes on her, somewhere deep in him, his primal desire to throw her back down on his desk and make her moan like he had that first glorious time threatened to come unleashed. But he restrained himself, like he always did. Things had been more than stressful these past months, not knowing if they would win or lose this war, and who would be alive and who would be dead at the end of it. The thought of Vellana dying had torn at him ever since their first kiss. He didn’t know how he would have dealt with it if she had.

But he didn’t have to worry now. They had won, and she was still alive, and he’d managed to keep most everyone else alive too. It had not been free of casualties, of course, but Cullen had fought too long to be naïve enough to think it would be. He had become accustomed to losing people, as awful as it was. It was just something that happened in war. There was a time for grief, and that would soon come. But for now it was a time for celebration.

Cullen could tell she was tired. Her eyes and air had a feel of utter exhaustion; her auburn hair, normally impeccably put up in a spiraled braid, was coming undone around her face, with locks here and there coming loose. He didn’t claim to look much better himself. But he had to admit, he actually found her unkempt look alluring. It reminded him a bit of how she’d looked waking up after their first time…

He cleared his throat to bring his mind back to the conversation, leaning against the arched portal to the balcony as he watched her. “Oh, am I not allowed to flirt, now?” he teased with a playful smile. “Now that would be a tragic world. Worse than death, I think.”

She gave him a small smile back, which filled his body with warmth.

“A tragic world, indeed,” she agreed. Seeing her happy was one thing that always lifted his spirits.  But then she turned away from him to look back towards the darkening sky behind the mountains. She looked lost in thought as she leaned with her hands on the rail of the balcony. He came next to her and looked at her faraway expression, wondering desperately what was going through the mind of the woman who had led them all through this disaster.

Vellana had always held a certain amount of mystery to him, even after they’d committed to each other – She wasn’t one to casually talk about her thoughts or feelings often. She was the strongest woman he’d ever met, yet also the biggest question mark. He had no doubt about her love and trust in him, but he longed to delve deeper, to know her as well as she knew herself, and for her to know him in the same way.

“Vellana,” he said, his tone gentle now. She turned to face him, and, though her eyes were tired, her beautiful, freckled face was the absolute picture of radiance to him. His breath caught in his throat and he almost forgot what he was going to say.

“Commander,” she said with a sly undertone.

His heart leapt. She only called him ‘Commander’ when she was feeling mischievous.

He gathered himself. “This time will pass. The wounds are still near, but they will heal with time. Losing Stroud was…” he shook his head, “Not ideal.”

She turned to face him now. “I can’t help feeling this,” she replied. “I can’t help but feel these losses were my fault. I’m the one who called all the shots, after all.” She let out a heavy sigh. “Even though I wouldn’t change anything if I could go back, they were still incredibly difficult decisions to make.” She paused. “But I can’t falter now. We still have a lot of work ahead of us. The refugees all throughout Ferelden aren’t doing well. We need to send more supplies, more men to help them, more mages to heal those who are wounded and suffering.”

Cullen swallowed and nodded. Even now she was thinking of others rather than herself; even though she deserved rest above everything else, after all she had done. But she was right – their job wasn’t over yet.

“You know your people will follow you, whatever you do,” he said, laying a hand on her shoulder. “And I…” he swallowed, a bit embarrassed by what he was about to say, “I’ll be there by your side.”

A smile spread across her lips and his hand went to cup her cheek. He leaned down and planted a light kiss on her forehead before pulling away.

“We had better get back down there, I suppose,” he said as the sound from below found their ears once again, but she shook her head.

“I would rather stay up here for now,” she said in a bit of a distant tone.

“I understand.” He turned to leave. It was painful to walk away from her now – this was one of the first moments they’d had alone in weeks. But he felt that she wanted to be alone now, after the conversation they’d just had.

He couldn’t help but notice, though, that a flicker of pain came across her face as he stepped away from her, as if she didn’t want him to leave, either.

“Come back down if you want, Vellana,” he said as he turned away from her. Part of him wanted to stay with her, to take advantage of this rare opportunity to be alone with her, but the other part felt he should do his duty of staying at the celebration a bit longer. Maker, it was hard to do so, but he began to walk towards the door to reluctantly rejoin the festivities.

He hadn’t made it but a few paces before he hesitated, and the other side of him won over.

 _What the hell am I doing?_  He said to himself, cursing.

—

Cullen always lifted her spirits. Their relationship had been hard, but it had been keeping her sane as everything around her threatened to drive her otherwise. They hadn’t had a lot of time alone together, sadly, so this was a nice, rare moment between them. When he turned to leave, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment. They’d have other chances to make up lost time, though. She turned back towards the darkening horizon as she heard him walk away, letting out a soft sigh.

Then his footsteps stopped, and she heard a hissed “Damn it all!”

A bit startled, she turned back around to face him and suddenly Cullen was there, pulling her into a desperate embrace – it briefly threw them off balance and she feared they would topple over the edge of the balcony, but his strong arms held her fast. His lips crashed into hers like a thundering wave against a cliff. A surprised yelp came out of her throat, the sudden contact unexpected but entirely welcome. Suddenly she realized just how badly she’d needed his touch. They’d spent too much time with formalities—they’d needed to, to get through everything. But he was right, damn it all, the threat was over and right now, in this moment, there was nothing keeping them from each other. If they didn’t take advantage of that, they’d be the biggest fools she’d heard of.

Her nose and mouth filled with his scent and taste, one that she’d never get tired of. All too abruptly, though, be broke away with a pained look, and gazed intensely into her eyes as if he were searching for an answer to a question neither had to ask audibly. She sucked her breath in, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might come out of her chest…

A wicked smile slid across Cullen’s face, and she mirrored it, glancing briefly at the bed before coming back to his smoldering golden eyes, brimming with desire.

—

Cullen pulled her away from the balcony back into her chamber, then spun her around and began playfully, yet aggressively pushing her towards the four-poster bed, his lips close, but not allowing them to touch. He smiled again as he started to unbuckle his arm guards. Damned things were getting in the way. He felt as her hands joined his and aided them in the removal of his encumbering armor, letting the pieces drop to the floor with a clang. He frantically tugged off his boots and tossed them aside. His hands flew up to hold her face and he gave in and let his lips envelop hers once again, breathing in her sweet scent. She made a muffled moan into his lips and the sound sent a rush of blood to his groin…

He began to shrug off his feathered cloak, once again with her aid, hearing it rustle softly as it pooled on the stones. Slowly, almost agonizingly so, he removed his gloves and belt, so he was left now in just his tunic and trousers. Then he caught her wrists, grasping them tightly as he pulled away again to look into her face.

—

“Cullen…” her voice wavered as her heart raced at his grip. She could tell he was restraining himself greatly, even now. She felt her knees getting weak just thinking about what might come.

It was different this time than it had been the few other times. The first time, they’d fumbled nervously with each other, too excited to think clearly or care much how it was done. They’d had to be quick with the other times, and their pleasure had been soured by their possible impending doom, and they’d given up on trying for the past few months. This time, the pent-up passion and desire they both felt since the last time they’d had physical contact made this visceral.

Vellana was utterly tired, tired of being the leader, tired of being the one who called all the shots. Tired of having thousands of people’s lives in her hands. Tired of the power burdening her every moment of every day. And she was tired of the endless fighting she did every day, pushing back the Templars, demons, mages, and monsters…

For now, she wanted to relinquish that power. She longed for the relief of someone else taking over for once.

“I…Cullen,” she repeated, not sure what to say as he stared with the intensity of the sun onto her eyes, waiting for her to continue. “I…I need you…Take me,” was all Vellana managed to let out. “Please…However you want…”

She hoped the implications were clear in her plea. She  _wanted_  him to dominate her. She  _needed_ it.

A flicker of understanding shot across his face, and he whispered, “Are you sure?”

Vellana nodded.

—

That was all he needed. In a flash, Cullen had swept her off her feet and pinned her down on the bed, grinning down at her. His hand still held fast to her wrist, and was now holding it down against the bed tightly. He was filled with a new level of desire – Too often did he imagine them together like this, taking pleasures from each that neither of them had ever even imagined themselves capable of. He had loved once, or at least thought it had been love, but Vellana was  _different._  She took over every thought in his mind, every fiber of his being. Just looking at her drove him mad sometimes. Every time she came through his office door, the want to feel her hot skin against his, the want to feel their emotions flowing into one another, was almost unbearable.

But now, he was allowed.  _They_  were allowed. The relief of everything that had happened finally coming to an end washed over them both as they submitted to pleasure for the first time in months. He felt primal desire bubble inside his belly—he felt as his length started filling with rushing blood, thinking about what was to come.

He lowered his face closer to hers, looking into her eyes, still wearing his signature smirk. It took all he had not to rip the clothes off of her right then and there. But no – he would make this last.

“You’re really in for it then, Inquisitor,” he growled, his other hand finding hers and pinning it above her head next to the other. He took one of his own hands away and held both of hers with one. He felt her wriggling a bit, trying to get out of his grip, but he kept a strong hold on her as his hand trailed down her body, feeling the curves of her breasts, waist, hips, through the fabric of her uniform. Cullen’s lips moved from hovering above her mouth to her neck, where he breathed on it gently before dragging his teeth gingerly across her skin. He felt her quiver beneath him at the touch and watched goosebumps form on her flesh.

“Hmm…these are in the way,” he mumbled against her, both of his hands traveling to the buttons on her well-fitting shirt. “Be good now, and keep your arms up there…”

—

Vellana’s chest rose and fell with quick breaths as she felt Cullen’s fingers tickle at the buttons of her shirt, letting them come open one by one. She gazed down at his golden mane, and couldn’t help but let one of her now-free hands wander down to tangle her fingers into his hair…

With reflexes like lightning, he grabbed her wrist and pinned it back up, staring daggers at her, but still smirking. “Don’t make me do that again, Inquisitor,” he said mischievously, “Or I’m going to have to make this even harder for you.”

She bit her lip playfully. “Commander, I’m sure you’re already making  _something_  hard for me.”

He looked up at her with a cocked eyebrow and positively predatory eyes, continuing his journey down her shirt, exposing the thin shift underneath. He put his lips to her ear. “You’ll just have to wait and find out,” he replied deviously. Then he gently kissed her collar bone as his hands made their way beneath her shift.

_Oh Maker._

She relaxed into his touch, letting it overwhelm her senses.

—

Cullen slid his hands slowly and eagerly over her skin, amused and aroused that he could feel more goosebumps form wherever he touched. He let them travel over her belly, hips, back up to her waist and beyond, all the while, lifting the shift up and off her body, revealing her impeccable frame underneath.

She was right. He was he was definitely hard for her.

He tore the shirt off from above her and tossed it aside, then gazed down at her.

_Oh Maker’s Breath, she’s so beautiful._

He sucked in his breath as he took in her frame – perfect breasts, flecked with brown freckles against pale skin and the dark peak of her nipples; the slight curve that turns waist into hips; her smooth belly, toned by fighting, too much fighting, and training, much of which he himself had had a part in.

He descended on her, his lips tasting the skin of her breasts tentatively.

—

Vellana felt Cullen’s lips enclose one of her nipples, and she finally broke her silence with a soft moan. It was hard to keep her hands above her head voluntarily, she was finding. So instead, she just grasped a pillow tightly, willing herself to keep them there as he eagerly tasted her breasts.

Her whole body was warm with pleasure now, and she could feel the soft tingly sensation in her abdomen that came with her arousal and she felt it dampen her underthings. Vellana bit her own lip, her eyes squeezing shut as she focused solely on him, solely on the feeling of his lips, his tongue. It drove her utterly mad.

“Maker, save me,” she breathed out, giving into her desire to touch him. Her fingers wove their way into his hair once again.

—

Cullen felt Vellana’s misbehaving fingers weave into the locks of his hair.

_Devious girl…ordering us around all day when she can’t even follow instructions herself…Maker, I love her so much._

He took his lips away from her nipple and brought his face level with hers again. She wore a smile, one that showed a mixture of guilt and playfulness.

“What am I going to do with you?” he said with a wry smile before wrenching her hands back up above her head, and held them there with one hand. “This time, they’re going to stay there,” he demanded. “No choice.”

He let his free hand travel back down her body, never wasting a moment to feel and explore her. It had been months, and he wanted to make it count. As his hand traveled further south, her body began to writhe, and her breath quickened. “Shh.”

He locked his lips with hers as he deftly untied the waist of her pants. He could feel the heat radiating from her, and he felt himself getting more rigid with each passing moment, but he wanted this to last, wanted to prolong it as long as he could.

With one hand still pinning her, he led his other down, underneath her untied trousers and beneath her underthings until he felt the slick warmth of her cleft. Her moan sent his blood rushing.

—

Vellana’s heart skipped a beat. She wriggled beneath him in pleasure, still unable to move her arms from underneath his strong hand as he kept them pinned. She felt his finger circle the knot at the top of her cleft slowly, expertly, deliberately. It sent jolts through her body that she knew would drive him mad with lust. He teased at her slick nub, his finger flicking at it torturously for some time, but then…

“ _Shit!_ ” She cried out, but his lips sealed over hers and all she could do was moan as she felt two fingers enter her.

—

Maker, the way she moaned…It made him want to just take her right then and there. Vellana’s scent filled his head and he almost lost his composure, but he was determined to give her release before that happened.

He encouraged her lips open with his own and allowed his tongue to explore the inside of her mouth gently as his fingers started to get a little more aggressive. Feeling her wriggling beneath him made his mind go to more wicked places, and he continued to slide his fingers in and out with more and more vigor, stroking her inside her warmth, getting almost dizzy from hearing the sounds of her pleasure vibrate against his mouth.

He grinned sardonically and moved his lips to the pointed tip of her ear, the gentleness of the caress juxtaposing the excitement of his fingers and the roughness of his grip as he kept her hands pinned above her. He nibbled gently on her ear and cherished her soft moans, knowing things would only get better from here.

“You think this feels good, Inquisitor? You’re in for a surprise,” he growled into her ear. “This is nothing…”

—

She could barely take it anymore. She could feel the pleasure in her abdomen bubbling and building, especially as she felt his teeth scrape down her neck, collarbone, back down to her breast. He teased her nipple with his tongue as his fingers slipped out and rubbed at her nub again, sending electricity pulsing through her entire being. She couldn’t help it – Vellana arched her back up into him, enticing him to push back into her with his fingers.

He obliged and she took her bottom lip into her moouth, shivering as his lips continued to caress her nipples. She longed to wrap her arms around him, but the fact she couldn’t just made things all the more enticing. He was overpowering her and the feeling brought her to the edge – she gasped and reached her peak as Cullen bit down on her neck.

—

Vellana dragged out a long, almost agonized moan as Cullen brought her to the apex of her pleasure. He felt more warm stickiness coat his fingers and he growled against her neck as he nibbled and continued to tease her nub until she was twitching. “That’s my girl,” he said quietly, biting her lip as her stunted breath kissed his face. Her skin was slick with a thin layer of sweat, and her unwinding locks were sticking to her cheeks and temples.

He slowly swirled the fresh juices around her cleft and he watched her squeeze her eyes shut, shuddering beneath him, and eventually, knowing how sensitive she would be, he took his hand away from between her legs. Her arms had gone limp and she wasn’t fighting against his grip anymore, so he let them go and kissed her nose. She gasped for breath. “Maker, I love you, Vellana,” he said, enjoying the smile that played on her lips at his words. She started to reply with mirrored words but before she could get it fully out, in a flash, his fingers tangled into her messy hair tightly and aggressively, and she gave a surprised gasp. “But we’re not done yet.”

—

Vellana, still twitching from the pleasure he’d pulled from her, couldn’t help but cry out as he gripped her hair, but sweet Maker, it was a  _good_ kind of pain. He wasn’t finished with her yet, and she was glad for it because she was ravenous for more, and she so badly wanted Cullen to give it to her.

He wrenched her up and lifted her from the bed sloppily, stumbled over to her desk and they crashed down onto it. He dug his fingers into the waist of her trousers and underthings and started tugging them down with an impatience even she was surprised by, nearly dragging her off the table. She giggled and kicked them off, but he grabbed her legs and shoved them apart, smiling deviously down at her now fully naked body, admiring it and savoring the sight.

—

Sweet Andraste, she was the most beautiful being he’d ever seen.

This wasn’t the first time he’d seen her bare, but it never failed to impress him and make him realize just how amazing she was, inside and out alike.

“That’s no fair,” she said to him as he gazed down at her admiringly. His body was throbbing with the need to be inside her. “I’m disrobed and you aren’t.”

“I never said this was going to be fair,” he replied wolfishly. But he couldn’t contain himself much longer, and he didn’t resist when she sat up on the desk to help him remove his undershirt. He’d allow her that at least, but as soon as his clothes were out of the way, she’d not be allowed much movement again. The thought brought a predatory grin onto his face.

—

After his shirt found its new temporary home on the floor, Vellana took the moment he was allowing her to feel his firm, muscled torso. Her hands slid down his chest until they reached the waist of his trousers. She devilishly cocked an eyebrow up at him and deftly untied them, then with agonizing sluggishness, tugged them down until they had finally fallen to the floor. Still taking advantage of her moment of freedom from his grip, she stole a teasing glance down at his free, rigid cock.

She took the opportunity to stroke him, teasing it towards her, beckoning him. She looked back up into his face which was twisted into an expression of pained restraint. She shivered as his hands stroked her waist, up her breasts, and they locked lips once again, their tongues tangling in a mess, needing the taste of each other.

Then, her moment of freedom ended.

—

“That’s enough, Inquisitor,” he said in a husky growl against her mouth.

He snatched one of her wrists away and before she had time to react, shoved his fingers into her hair with his other hand, pulling her head back as he pushed her back down onto the desk, prying her legs apart with his own. With the arm that was twisted into her unwinding locks, he used the elbow to pin one of her arms down, and used his free arm to pin her other arm down to the desk.

“Every day you go out and fight endlessly…You lead all these people, you command them to do as you will. Yet, here with me, you will do as I say, Vellana,” he said in an even tone, his cock throbbing. “I’m the Commander…And you will obey.”

He pushed his hips closer to hers at the edge of the desk, the wet warmth sending spots into his vision. He held back a grunt. “I won’t let you have it until you ask nicely,” he continued, kissing her chest.

He knew this was as much torture for him as it was for her. He continued rubbing himself against her cleft, feeling her juices coat the underside of his length. He let out a low groan against her skin, almost as if he himself were begging her to let him in.

—

She didn’t care that her arms hurt. She loved how tightly and desperately he kept her in place, taking what he wanted from her. The heat between them intensified as she felt him press against her, and his needy moan sent a vibration through her whole body. It was torture, needing him so badly, especially since he was teasing the outside of her entrance so evilly.

She remained silent, if only to get back at him for the pain he was giving her. She could feel his shaking as he struggled to restrain himself – his need was just as great as hers – but she’d play this game too. Hey may be the one in control here, but she still held power over him – it was horribly arousing. He started to bite down in on the sensitive skin of her breasts in protest of her silence, luring sounds of approval out of her chest.

He still didn’t budge…He really was going to make her ask for it wasn’t he? Her head was dizzy and hot, but she continued to playfully remain silent. She felt his head tickle her entrance, and she finally couldn’t take it anymore.

_“Oh Maker, please.”_

—

Cullen pulled away from her chest and looked down at her with a sardonic smile. “That’s a good girl,” he said, and without further warning, he slid, slowly and torturously, into her. He sucked in, savoring the feel of her warmth around him, filling her. He tugged even harder at her hair, forcing her head back as she arched her back and let out a long moan. Her eyes were squeezed shut and knowing how he made her feel only brought him closer to pleasure-driven insanity. He felt her legs wrap around him, one around his legs and one up around his waist, and he groaned into her as he felt himself become sheathed completely inside her.

He brought his lips down to hers once more, and they kissed with a fiery passion as he slowly started repeating his motions and rocking into her, picking up speed gradually. She moaned again and again, her hot breath tickling his lips as she did so, her back arching up into him so far their chests met and he could feel the soft mounds of her breasts pressing against him.

“Keep being this good and you’ll get your prize soon enough,” he mumbled, losing out to his desire to put his hands on her body as he thrust into her. He let go of the hand he’d used to pin her wrist to the table and slid it over her breasts, her torso, and finally around her arched back, pulling her to him. His hand found the soft roundness of her rear and he squeezed, then stopped thrusting for just a moment to look into her eyes.

—

Stopping was torture. He’d filled her up completely, and it was the most wonderful feeling she’d ever had. She gazed back at him painfully, her eyes begging him to continue, but he just grinned wryly back. She felt him slip out of her and she thought she would die of agony.

“No…” she whimpered, using her now free hand to tangle her fingers through his messy, sweaty hair. “Don’t…”

“Don’t…what?” he said.

 _You ruddy well know what,_  she thought to herself. “Don’t.”

“What…stop?”

She nodded.

“Oh, so you want me to stop?”

“No!” She cried, tugging more firmly on his hair, wanting to feel his lips again. “Don’t stop! Sweet Maker, keep going you idiot!”

She shrieked as he felt him thrust into her once again without warning.

The grip of her legs around him tightened. She the tug on her hair again and she felt his teeth raze against her neck as he brought his head back down, and she cried out again in sheer ecstasy.

He filled her once again, and her mind went blank for a moment, pleasure taking over every sense. She matched his rhythm, rocking her hips up into his as he entered her again and again. Her body went numb as the thrill spread from between her thighs to the tips of her fingers and toes to the back of her head as it tingled and bubbled with sheer bliss.

—

Cullen was driving himself into her more slowly now, but much more deliberately. He made each stroke count, knowing how each one made her feel. The cries of sheer pleasure she made each time he thrust just pleased him more. He saw her hand reach above her head, searching for something, anything, to grasp onto. His hand flew up and he entwined his fingers with hers. Her grip was tight as she continued letting out desperate moans and her breathing became heavier and heavier.

“Cullen…I…Cullen…” she dragged out his name each time as he buried himself inside her over and over, and he knew that soon this would be over. The sounds emanating from her throat were driving him closer to the height of his passion – He loved how she sounded when he was pleasing her this way. It just made it all the more intense.

“Sweet Maker, Vellana…I love you so—Ahh!”

—

With one last, deliberate stroke, Vellana could feel Cullen spilling into her, filling her up to the brim with both physical and emotional love. He groaned into her and she gasped, surprised at how intensely she could feel as it happened. Their lovemaking slowed gradually to a halt, but their breathing remained quick and desperate. Cullen fell onto her body, releasing his grip from her hair and her hand, letting her arms move free again, so she took the chance to wrap them lovingly around his quivering body.

“I love you too, Cullen,” she said with a giggle. “My Commander.”

She felt his lips smile against her skin where they lay on her neck, and he gave her a few sweet kisses up her throat and ended at her lips. His hand caressed her jaw and she shivered at how gentle and loving the touch was.

“That….That was…” He breathed out onto her. “Are…you okay?” he said in a soft tone, not at all like he had been speaking to her a minute ago. It made Vellana’s heart flutter.

She laughed. “More than okay,” she responded, “That was the best one yet. And…I think we both needed it, after everything that has happened.”

He let out a weak laugh, and nodded in agreement. Vellana let her hands find his face and she brushed them against his cheeks gingerly. His amber eyes, now gentle and searching, met her green gems and they both smiled.

—

Utterly exhausted, Cullen slowly slid out of his lover and straightened, amused by the squeaking noise she made as he did so. Immediately he realized how much of a mess both of their nether regions were. Mostly at the fault of himself.

“Did…Did I really…” his cheeks colored and he hid his face with one of his hands, laughing. “I…I made a mess, didn’t I?”

Vellana giggled again, a beautiful sound that filled him with delight. “Yes, just a little,” she replied. “But I don’t mind. It’ll clean up easily enough.”

He took his hand away from his face, still blushing, and smiled at her, lifting her from the desk with a firm but caring embrace. He carried her back to the bed laid her down.

The sun had completely descended behind the mountains now and the moon was taking its place in the sky amongst the twinkling stars. A cool breeze wafted into Vellana’s chamber from the open balcony and sent goosebumps crawling over his skin. When he turned back, Vellana was under the covers to protect herself from the chill, and she was watching him as if beckoning to enter with her.

“You don’t think we should return to the celebration?” he said, quirking an eyebrow.

She let out an exasperated breath. “Of course not. I’m tired of mingling with politicians.”

He couldn’t blame her. He debated whether he should go back down or not, but in the end decided he’d spent enough time with politicians as well. Spending this time with her now was more important than those sods, anyway, no matter what Leliana and Sera would have to say about it in the morning.

He went over to close the doors to the balcony, grateful for the relief from the cool breeze. “Could you make a fire?” he heard her gentle, tired voice from across the room ask.

“Don’t think we’ll be warm enough in bed?” he said as his lips quirked into a sideways smile. He picked up his trousers from the floor and stepped back into them before going over to the fireplace. He threw in some kindling and some wood and lit it, blowing on the embers to strengthen the flame.

—

Vellana watched with admiration as the fire came alight and cast a warm glow onto Cullen’s face. His profile was painfully handsome in its orange glow. She couldn’t help but smile, knowing he was hers and she, his. When he turned back, she gave him a warm smile, patting the bed next to her.

“A little impatient, are we?” he said in reply.

She laughed through her nose. “I’m always impatient when it comes to being with you.”

He gave an embarrassed laugh that she found incredibly endearing and he scratched the back of his head with his hand, looking at the floor in a vain attempt to conceal a blush before crawling into the sheets next to her.

She was immediately grateful for his added warmth, and, exhausted, laid her head on his shoulder after he’d settled in. She felt his hands stroke through her tangled, messy hair as his other traced the intricate tattoos on her face.

“Mmm…Cullen, thank you,” she said, closing her eyes.

He kissed her head and held her closer. “You’re welcome. Sleep now, dear Inquisitor.”

She did. And for the first time since their battle against Corypheus had begun, she slept soundly, undisturbed, in Cullen’s loving embrace.


End file.
